The Dufflo challenge
‘Most critics belong to the band of lazy bumps, afraid to step out of the comfort of their black-and-white dream world.’
Afshan Subohi
Why competition is missing
‘The archaic mindset is too deep-rooted in society. Government officers are control freaks. They are choking investment’
Is consumer confidence waxing or waning?
According to the SBP’s recent survey report, consumer confidence scaled up to 44.2 index points in September.
The high cost of inexperience
The second phase of CPEC demands a more pronounced provincial role.
Lost in transition
In this special report, the Dawn Business and Finance team tries to deconstruct the slide ...
The data deficiency
When quizzed over the declared unemployment rate, most statisticians concur that the projection is inaccurate
A PPP success story
It is indisputable that Sindh has succeeded in gaining the trust of the reluctant private sector.
Hide sellers suspect foul play as prices drop
Leather dealers and tanners hold the government responsible for low prices and high wastage in hide and skin trade
‘I see economic turnaround in 2020,’ says Abdul Razzak Dawood
Dawood’s optimism sounds almost delusional when he paints a rosy picture amidst rising inflation and shrinking economy.
Farmers take a hit as Eid economy sinks
The pain of economic slowdown is growing in rural households.
Monsoon tests weak structures
Municipal authorities blame their poor performance on the over-reliance on provincial governments and paucity of funds.
What’s stopping expats from building New Pakistan?
It might be the fear of a blowback in their country of residence that is restraining them from diverting investment.
Scandal rocks Erra’s squeaky clean image
‘Erra did most of its work in the first five years. The pace of progress has slowed down since.’
Will CPEC survive the IMF bailout?
There is no official word from China on the apparent slow pace of CPEC projects.
Taxing times
People are confused because of the aggressive stance of taxmen.
Debate deficit in budget sessions
The narrow window of time to discuss and adjust the budget proposals can be blamed for the limited interaction.
Preoccupied PPP sticks to tried and tested recipes
‘The first budget of the third term is in essence the same as the last one of the second term, which, ...
Middle class getting hit from all sides of the economy
What is beyond doubt and debate is the necessity of making adjustments in spending patterns.
Major swing in Eid market
The key gainers of this shift were local providers of goods and services.
Eid economy shrinks by one-fifth
‘Shopkeepers are anxious about low footfall so close to Eid. I have never seen a situation like this before,’